


Stars and Stripes Forever

by HarperRow



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Hurt/Comfort, all star batman and robin inspired, character divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 10:36:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9816074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarperRow/pseuds/HarperRow
Summary: Batman, the feared Dark Knight of Gotham, has sworn to do anything to save his city -- even if that means making sacrifices.  Five years ago, Bruce Wayne secretly killed the Flying Graysons and framed a nonexistent gangster by the name of Tony Zucco for the purpose of taking on their son, Dick Grayson, as Batman's legacy.  Now, the Justice League and their junior team, the Young Justice, are determined to rescue the young Robin and stop the violent terrorist that is the Batman.





	

**Five Years Ago**

The lights of the circus twinkled in a dazzling array of color overhead, illuminating the path to the big top tent along with balloons and smiling, painted faces.  Around him, he could hear the crowd whispering, “Is that Bruce Wayne? _Here_?” 

It was only from many years of practice that he was able to turn in the direction of the whispers and give a charming wink.  In truth, Bruce detested everything about Haley’s Circus.  It was too crowded, too loud, and far too colorful for his taste.  Everything smelled of animal piss and poor people.  His date, on the other hand – her name wasn’t important and he had taken to simply referring to her as Blonde – was oohing and ahhing at every little thing in a way she must have assumed to be innocent and charming.

But, he reminded himself, she was necessary. She was his excuse, his cover – a reason to wave off the question as to why billionaire Bruce Wayne would be in a filthy place like this.  If he wanted to, he could have hired the entire troupe to perform in his backyard. However, none of this was about the performance.  No, it was all about the boy. As always, it was all about his _mission_.

In the many nights he has spent alone above the Gotham skyline, he had come to the conclusion that the Batman needed a partner.  It was not because his own skills were lacking or even that he wanted to share his quest with someone else, but he needed a back-up plan.  In the short time he had been fighting crime, both the dangerous and the eternal nature of his work had slowly become apparent.  What he needed was not so much a partner but a _legacy._   And Bruce had hand-picked Richard Grayson as his chosen one. 

The boy had been trained since nearly birth to perform death-defying stunts.  Extensive research had confirmed he had not only the talent and power to take on the strain of vigilante work but also the mental acuity to boot.  It really wasn’t right for such gifts to be wasted in a lowly circus act.  This boy needed him. He just didn’t know it yet.

Yes, Richard was nearly perfect.  A young, naive, clean slate, more than capable to take on his rigorous training and become his dedicated soldier on the battle field.  The only thing missing was a dash of tragedy. Something to tether him to Bruce’s side forever.  Hence, his trip to the circus.

 “Here we are, I got us tickets right against the ring so we won’t miss a thing,” he said as he helped Blonde to her seat on the old, worn wood.

“Oh, Brucie, this is wonderful! I can’t wait to see the circus. I haven’t been to one since I was a little girl.”

“I’m sure it’ll be a memorable evening.” He threw another empty smile her way. “I’m going to find a restroom before the show begins, try not to miss me too much while I’m gone.”  She giggled childishly as he left.  The façade dropped to a far more hardened look the moment his back turned.

Slipping past the last few audience members trickling into the tent, he quickly ducked under a flap of the tent which lead to a concealed tunnel for the performers.  No one was around yet, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long.  His Batman training kicked in as he moved silently and agilely down the dirt-path tunnel – he had studied the lay out beforehand and knew where exactly he had to do.

The tunnel followed the curve of the tent before opening up to a larger alcove. Here, the stacked piles of equipment were neatly kept in single file order, arranged by act.  The ringmaster’s mic, the elephant’s treats, the clown car, along with an impressive array of bizarre instruments that went into the circus.  Lying near the beginning was a neat coil of ropes and metal fastenings – the acrobat’s wires.

A smile broke across his face as Bruce approached them, something he hadn’t done sincerely in a long while.  From the inside pocket of his jacket, Bruce pulled out a small vile of clear liquid. It was a slow-reacting acid. It was the instrument of murder, the final push that would fell all the dominoes and kill the Flying Graysons.

He had planned it out to the last moment. He had studied the Grayson’s act, every move, every trick, every member.  The acid would cut the ropes but only just. Enough that it could hold the weight of a nine year old child, but not the combined weight of the rest of the Flying Graysons; Richard’s doting mother, father, and three cousins.  He knew every trick in their book, he had studied every instance of their performance he could find.  The rope would hold right up to the finale when every Grayson except Richard would be on the trapeze. Richard would be waiting on the platform, the best seat in the house, watching everything.  Exactly like how he had been forced to watch.  He knew what it meant to take away a child’s parents, but he also knew so much more now than he had back then. This was necessary. For the mission. 

The acid slipped eagerly onto the ropes, hissing softly.  The Graysons were death defying no longer. 

In the back of his mind, he told himself it was Bruce that was the killer and not Batman. Batman was still true to his vow -- he had to be.

From behind the tent, he heard the approach of footsteps. Not wasting a moment reveling in his act, Bruce turned and quickly went back the way he had come.  The rest of the evening played out in his mind – he knew exactly how it would go from here.  The performance, the snapping of the ropes, and the change that would happen in Richard’s bright blue eyes as he suddenly found himself an orphan.

That is when he would step in, a comforting hand in the middle of the ring.  He doubted the boy would remember his presence in light of the trauma, but that is why he also intended to pay for the funeral. A morbid calling card of sorts.  He wouldn’t take the boy in immediately.  Instead, Richard would be taken in by a social worker and making sure the worst of the bunch (which was saying something in Gotham) was on duty tonight was merely a task of changing shift times on a schedule.  Most likely, the traumatized boy would be taken to Gotham’s Juvenile Hall, as this woman (if she could be called that) had a track record of doing, especially with minorities. 

All the while, Richard would have time to think and be forced to harden his young heart in a cruel and unforgiving environment.  He was too clever not to realize foul play had been involved.  That was when Bruce and Batman would step in, offering salvation in _the mission_. Richard would fall into step immediately, fueled just has he had been as a boy.  And, just like him, Richard would never find his parent’s murderer.  Oh, he would lead the boy on an ‘investigation’ that would bring him to a man that didn’t exist.  Tony Zucco was the name Bruce had come up with; a ghost with supposed ties to crime in Gotham.

“Richard,” he will say to the boy as the child realizes he may not _ever_ find the man responsible. “We may not be able to bring in Zucco tonight, but there are others. This city is filled with people like Zucco, and they will continue committing these atrocities unless someone stops them.  I’m asking you to join me and fight to uphold a light in the darkness of this world.”

Bruce would warn him of the dangers, the trials, and the pain ahead in this kind of life. Yet, the boy would do it anyways. He knew it, and Richard would never know the truth.

Slipping back into his seat beside Blonde, the woman excitedly grabbed his hand.

“Oh, I’m glad you’re back! The show is about to start.”

He patted her hand with a grin, “Trust me, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

The lights in the tent dimmed and, with a theatrical flutter of the curtain, a smiling man in a black top hat and glittering red suit stepped into the middle of the ring. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to Haley’s Circus!”  


End file.
